John-thornbeck



(No Model.)

J. THORNBEOK.

FOLDING ROCKING CHAIR.

Patented Dec. 27, 1892.

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J OHN THORNBECK, OF MALVERN, CANADA.

FOLDING ROCKlNG-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,704, dated December27, 1892. Application filed February 1, 1892- Serial 110,419,988- (Nomodel.) Patented in Canada February 2 1392,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN THORNBEOK, of the village of Malvern, in thecounty of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented acertain new and useful FoldingRocking-Chair, of which the following is aspecification, and for which I have obtained Letters Patent of theDominion of Oanada,No. 38,312, dated February 20, 1892.

The object of this improvement is to produce a chair which may be foldedinto very small space for the purpose of transportation or storage, andthe invention consists in the peculiar construction arrangement andcombinations of partshereinafter more particularly described and thendefinitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure lis a perspective view of my foldingrockingchair in position for use. Fig. 2 is a view of the chair folded,with the locking-dog in the position it would occupy when locked. Fig. 3is an enlarged detail of the locking-dog and parts connected therewithin an unlocked position.

In the drawings, A represents the .frame forming the back of the chair.This frame is pivoted on the rear-legs B, and is supported by the arms 0which are pivoted to the frontlegs D, and each arm has a slot E fittingover a pin or screw F projecting from the back frame A. At the rear endof each of the slots E, I form a notch f, into which the screw or pin Ffits when the chair is extended as shown in Fig. 1. The front and rearlegs are pivoted to each other at d and are connected, respectively, bythe rungs D and B from which the seat may be stretched as shown indotted lines in Fig. 1. The rockers G are pivoted on the rung H, whichconnect the rear legs B together. The rung I which connects the frontlegs D together rests upon the rockers G, as indicated. In order toautomatically lock the rung I to the rockers G, I provide, on one of therockers G, the following simple mechanism: A plate K is fixed to one ofthe rockers G and is slotted as shown at 10, so as to be capable ofadjustment to fit different chairs or to be adjusted in case the seatshould stretch and allow the ends of the legs D and B to extend. A leverJ is pivoted on said plate K and has one end curved so as to projectabove its rocker, so that when the rung I is brought against the rockerG, it will first strike the lever J, causing it to move on its pivot andstrike the back of the lockingdog L, thus throwing the said dog L aroundon its pivot until it falls by its own weight onto the rung I. Theprojecting hecl M 1s formed on the locking dog L, so that the said dogmay be lifted clear of the rung I, by simply pressing the foot on thesaid heel.

It will be observed that there are two tails a and 6 formed on the leverJ, one tail a being formed to project below and act against the underside of the locking dog L, for the purpose already mentioned, while thetail b projects over the hub of the said dog L, and prevents the lever Lfalling below a g ven point. Said tail 1) is also designed to fit 1nto anotch d, made in the hub of the dog L, to prevent the said dog beingthrown up on its pivot before the lever J is acted upon by the rung I.

The rockers G rest upon a ground frame composed of two bars N, theproper dlstance apart to support the said rockers. These bars areconnected together at their front ends by the round N, and may beconnected together at their back ends by an ad ustable cross-bar B, sothat they be moved nearer to, or farther apart, from each other, asdesired. Each bar N has a bracket 0 fixed to it and each bracket has anelongated hole P made in it to receive a friction roller Q projectingfrom each rocker G. This manner of connecting the rockers G to theground frame formed by the bars N, permits the free movement of therockers upon the said bars so that the chair rocks easily upon the barsN, and may be readily folded thereon as shown 111 Fig. 2. It will benoticed in Figs. 1 and 2 that one end of said frame is made so as to beadjustable, if desired. The object of making this adjustable is, thatthe frame may be detached from the rockers by simply loosening the nutsand drawing the rear ends of the bars N together, thus drawing said barsaway from the rockers. It is obvious that the brackets 0 may be placedon the outside of the frame, when, of course the ends of said frame willhave to be separated instead of drawn together, when it is desired todetach the frame from the rockers. By provldlng a ground-frame havingbars N, the rockingchair may be enjoyed on, comparatively speaking,uneven ground and the rockers will work as freely as though they wereresting upon a oor.

In order to fold the chair, the dogL is raised clear of the rung I, andthe legs .13 and D are folded together. The back A and the arm 0 aredropped down onto one side and the bars N, with their rockers G, areswung around to fit in between the cross-bars B, and D, as indicated inFig. 2.

What I claim as new is:

1. Arocking-chair having rollers Q projecting from its rockers, incombination With a frame, comprising the bars N having brackets Oprojecting therefrom, said brackets having elongated holes P in whichthe rollers Q work, and one end of each of the barsNhaving an adjustableconnection, arranged so that the ends of said bars may be opened orclosed for the purpose of admitting into or releasing said rollers fromthe holes P, substantially as described.

2. A rocking chair, having front and rear legs, a rung H connecting thebottom ends of its rear legs and a rung I resting on therockers andconnecting the ends of the front legs, in combination with the rockers Gpivoted on said rung II, a locking dog pivoted on said rockers, and alever extending beyond said pivot whereby said dog is thrown over saidrung I as the rung swings over said lever, thereby locking the rockersto the chair, substantially as described.

3. A rocking chair, having its rockers pivoted on the front rung II,incombination with a locking dog L pivoted on said rockers, and the leverJ, provided with tails a and b, said dog L adapted to be thrown over therear rung I, when pressure is exerted on the lever J, causing its tailsa and b to act on said dog, substantially as described.

Toronto, January 21, 1892.

JOHN TI-IORN BECK.

In presence of JAMES BAIRD, I. EDW. MAYBEE.

